Not so Unexpected
by Insanetrouble
Summary: "Just tell me if you're not fine because I'd rather drive you to the hospital through the storm than have to deliver a baby or something myself." "Don't even joke about that- I'm not sure we could make it to the hospital!" "Er, Annie? I... I think my waters just broke."
1. Chapter 1

"Annie? Can I borrow you for a second?" Joan called across the DPD. At eight months pregnant she was due to go on maternity leave in two weeks time, determined to work for as long as possible throughout her pregnancy.

"Sure. What's wrong?" Annie walked over to her former boss curiously.

"Are you busy at the moment?"

"No, just translating a bunch of emails. Why?" Annie tipped her head slightly.

"A former asset of mine has information the agency needs, but she was attacked a few months ago and she's refused to speak with any male operatives. I was wondering whether you would speak with her?" Joan asked.

"Of course. What's the information?" Annie inquired.

"I'll tell you in the car. Lyra was my asset before I became DCS; I want to check on her so I'm coming too."

"Okay. I'll go tell Auggie, then I'll grab the car."

"You can drive, but we're going in mine. Yours is a death trap." Joan told her. Annie rolled her eyes slightly.

"What is it with people and my car?" she complained with a smile, before turning and flitting across the room, calling out as she went:

"Auggie! You're needed!"

A little over an hour later found Annie and Joan driving through a forested area, the latter fiddling with the Satnav as they struggled to find their way through the terrain.

"Who chooses to live out here?" Annie complained, wincing as another branch struck the side of the car as they drove past.

"Lyra, apparently." Joan answered. Suddenly, a deep rolling boom echoed throughout the forest.

"Hey Joan… I don't suppose you checked the weather before we left?" Annie asked, slowing the car and peeking up at the sky.

"No... Let's try to find the cottage." Joan said resolutely, reattaching the satnav to the dashboard of the car and rubbing a hand soothingly over her stomach. Both pointedly ignored the flashes of light that washed across the sky every now and then, or the deep booms that followed them.

"Aw crap. Joan- we have to find this cottage." Annie flinched as the rain pelted down, instantly drenching the track they were driving on and causing it to become thick mud.

"I'm aware of that Annie." Joan said shortly. "Take a left here."

Annie turned the wheel, but as she accelerated the back end of the car skidded out and spun them around, heading dangerously close to the adjacent ditch.

"Annie!" Joan gripped the handle of the door tightly, face pale as Annie fought for control, desperately trying to stop them from falling into the ditch.

The car finally stopped, leaving Annie gripping the wheel and breathing heavily.

"Are you ok?" she glanced at Joan worriedly. The older woman nodded, relaxing her grip slowly.

"I'm fine. If… if we can get there, the house should be straight ahead." Annie nodded silently and tentatively tried the accelerator. The car eased forward safely, leaving both woman heaving sighs of relief.

An infinite amount of time later, the dark cottage came into view.

"Shouldn't there be lights?" Annie asked over the cracks of thunder and pounding of the rain.

"Yeah…" Joan shifted uncomfortably, watching the house for any sign of movement.

"You want to stay here and I'll go see if she's there?" Annie offered. Joan glared at her.

"I'm pregnant, not incapacitated. I can get there just fine." She swung herself out the car to prove her point. Annie followed her, becoming soaked in just a few seconds.

"Yuck!" she cursed, slipping and sliding her way through the thick mud around the car. Joan was doing the same, one hand curled protectively over her stomach while the other wavered in the air as she struggled to keep her balance.

Wordlessly, Annie held her arm out to steady her and the pair made their way across the garden. They huddled under the tiny porch, Joan pounding the door.

"Lyra!? Lyra, it's Joan! Open the door!" she hollered, but there was no sign of a response from inside the house. Annie glanced at Joan, before slipping her lock picks from her pockets and quickly undoing the lock. The pair stepped inside, Annie shining a torch to find the light.

"Oh crap." The lights flickered on to reveal the living room and kitchen area, both empty of any and all furniture. "I thought you said she was supposed to be here?"

"She was!" Joan wandered through the house, checking the bedroom and bathroom, both of which were also empty. While she was, Annie called Auggie.

"Annie? Are… alright?... report… storm…" Auggie's voice came through distorted and crackled.

"Auggie? Auggie, I can't hear you!" Annie pressed the phone to her ear harder.

"Where… reports… warning… ni…"

"What? Auggie, listen; Lyra isn't here. She's not here." Annie hoped her message got across to the other end.

"O… Annie, stay… dangero…" the line went dead.

"Damn it!" Annie cursed, holding it up to try and find signal.

"What?" Joan appeared in the doorway from the bedroom. Annie held up the phone in answer. "Oh. Listen, I think we should stick it out here for a while. It's too dangerous out there."

"Agreed." Annie smiled. "At least we have electricity. Not to sure about running water though."

She went to the sink and tested it, waving her hand underneath to catch any water.

"Apparently not." She snatched her hand out from under it as it made a groaning noise and began to rattle. "Did you find anything?"

She turned when Joan made no comment to see the older woman leaning heavily against the wall, her eyes closed and her face screwed up in pain.

"Joan? Are you ok?" Annie hurried over to her side, concern fluttering over her features.

"I…I'm fine. Braxton hicks." Joan opened her eyes and straightened up slowly.

"Maybe you should go sit in the car…" Annie hedged, wincing slightly at the glare Joan shot at her.

"I'm fine Annie." Joan snapped. She closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. "Sorry."

"It's fine. Just tell me if you're not though because I'd rather drive you to the hospital than have to deliver a baby or something myself."

"Don't joke about that- I'm not sure we could make it to the hospital!" Annie chuckled at that, tucking a lock of wet hair behind her ear and wandering over to the thermostat to turn it up. "I hope this works, or we're going to freeze."

"Um…Annie?"

"It's probably going to get colder soon too- the storm doesn't look like it's gong to stop anytime soon."

"Annie."

"Mind you, we can always go sit in the car and turn the heating on."

"Annie!" Annie turned in surprise at the panic in Joan's voice.

"What is it? What's wrong?" the older woman stood stock still, fear visible on every inch of her face.

"I… I think my waters just broke."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hi everyone! I just thought I should say now that my entire knowledge giving birth comes from watching one born every minute and that Christmas episode of NCIS last year, so take it with a pinch of salt! Please tell me what you think!? X**_

"Annie… don't take this the wrong way, but do you know how to deliver a baby?" Joan asked warily, leaning heavily against a wall as she watched the younger woman rifle through the built-in cupboards.

"Yeah- my sister decided halfway through her second pregnancy that she wanted a home birth, and in her words 'was absolutely not letting her anatomically challenged good-for-nothing husband even think about delivering her baby.' But she changed her mind two weeks before her due date." Annie told her, plucking a couple of blankets from the shelf in front of her.

"What, so you've never actually delivered one?!" Joan's voice rose, panicked.

"I was in the delivery room both times, plus I helped a woman when I was travelling and we got stuck in the middle of nowhere when our bus broke down." Annie attempted to soothe her.

"That doesn't exactly fill me with confidence." Joan gasped out, bending over as another contraction gripped. Annie quickly arranged the blankets on the floor and moved to help Joan settle onto them.

"I'm afraid this isn't going to be big on dignity." Annie told her as Joan shifted to find a comfortable position.

"That much I'd figured out." Joan commented dryly. Annie lowered herself next to her, fiddling with her earpiece in a desperate attempt to get it working before she had to deliver her bosses' baby. The two women sat in awkward silence for a long while.

"You know, this was never even in my top ten worst scenarios." Joan said as she lent back against the wall, closing her eyes as she rubbed a hand repetitively over her stomach.

"What was?" asked Annie, using her teeth to chew through one of the wires and attempting to create a spark.

"Well, number one was being abducted and going into labour during it." Joan recalled which caused Annie to giggle slightly.

"Yeah… that would be pretty bad. What were the others?" she questioned curiously. Joan smiled slightly as she remembered her worst fears.

"Oh, going into labour in the middle of a meeting on the hill, or at the office, or worst, whilst in the presence of Henry Wilcox." Joan shuddered at the last one. Annie laughed in surprise.

"Oh my god… could you imagine his face? He'd be horrified…!" she giggled. Joan laughed along with her at the thought, until another wave of pain gripped her and she broke off with a gasp. She grasped blindly with her hand until it encountered Annie's, gripping tightly as the pain clenched her abdomen.

"Just breathe, Joan." Annie reminded her.

"You bloody breathe!" Joan snapped once she'd gasped in a mouthful of air. Annie smiled slightly, ignoring her temperament.

"Sorry." Joan muttered. Annie shrugged.

"Trust me; you'll have lost your temper a lot more once by the time this is over- don't worry about it." Annie reassured her. Joan watched her interestedly.

"How are you so calm?" she wondered.

"I'm not the one giving birth." Annie pointed out. Joan had to concede that point. The pair fell into awkward silence again, broken only by the gasps of Joan as the contractions got worse.

* * *

"Anderson! Where is my wife!?" Arthur strode into the DPD, eyes flashing furiously. Agents scurried out of his way, and his 'guide' hurried to keep up with him.

"Hello Arthur." Auggie said absently, not turning from his computer as he typed at the speed of light. Then he jolted, spinning around in his seat in surprise.

"Arthur! What are you doing here?" he asked.

"My _pregnant _wife is _missing! _Where else would I be?" Arthur snapped at him.

"Point taken. Er… The last contact we had with them was five hours ago- they were about an hour from the location and arranged to contact us when they reached it, but that call never came. We've been unable to since re-establish contact." Auggie told him quickly, not needing his sight to know that Arthur was fuming.

"Where were they going?" Arthur asked. Auggie winced.

"You know I can't tell you that…" he attempted apologetically. Arthur scowled.

"Auggie…" he said in a warning tone. Auggie shifted uncomfortably, but eventually relented.

"They were headed to speak with an asset at the location you see on screen. The asset was brutally attacked a few months ago, and as a result is exceedingly uncomfortable around males, hence why Annie was sent."

"That doesn't explain why my wife is in the field!" Arthur clenched his fists.

"The asset was originally Joan's- she wanted to provide support for her. It shouldn't have been an issue; it wouldn't have been if the storm hadn't hit so suddenly." Auggie frowned.

"Shit." Arthur scrubbed a hand over his face. "How long till we have comms back up?"

"A while. Not until the storm passes and even then it may take some time to re-establish contact after that." Auggie supplied.

"Shit." Arthur said again.

* * *

"Aah!" Joan screamed, gasping for breath around the pain. Annie knelt by her feet.

"Joan, I'm sorry but I need to see what's happening." She said softly. Joan shook her head tearfully.

"No…" she whispered, but Annie covered her hand with her own.

"Joan, listen to me. I know that these are nowhere near to the best circumstances to give birth in or even to be stuck in, but this is happening and there's no changing it. And I know that you're scared and embarrassed and probably a whole host of other things that I don't have a hope of understanding, but this isn't about you right now. It's about your baby. And right now, he or she is more important than a little embarrassment." Annie coaxed her boss gently. Joan watched her for a long moment, expression unconvinced. Annie smiled slightly.

"And if it makes you feel better, I solemnly swear to never talk about this again once this is over." Joan cracked a smile at that, and nodded slowly in agreement. Annie used the hand sanitizer from her bag and quickly examined Joan before she could change her mind.

"Well, I'm no expert but I think you're about eight centimetres dilated." Annie told her.

"I'm not sure whether that's a good or bad thing." Joan gasped out.

"That makes two of us." Annie muttered as she quickly wiped her hands. They sat in relative silence for another long while.

"Annie…" Joan spoke up hesitantly. Annie shot her a smile.

"What is it?"

"I… I'm scared, Annie. Really scared." Joan admitted quietly, refusing to meet Annie's eyes.

"Joan, look at me. Look at me." Annie prompted, sitting by Joan's side. Slowly, the older woman raised her eyes to hers. "You're giving birth, Joan. I'd be worried if you weren't scared. But I know you- you're one of the strongest people I know, and a little thing like bringing new life into the world into isn't going to faze you."

Joan smiled tearfully. "I keep wishing Arthur were here." She admitted.

"You two are cute together." Annie smiled.

"We are not cute!" Joan protested indignantly. Annie's smile grew.

"Yeah you are. You fight more than anyone else in the building, but you're so in love at the same time. Watching the two of you… it makes me think what things might be like with Auggie in the future." She grinned.

"Annie Walker, all loved up." Joan teased, but broke off with a scream of pain as another contraction gripped her.

"God, I feel like I want to push!" she panted. Annie frowned.

"Really? Already?" she asked, quickly repeating her earlier procedure. "Huh…"

"Annie! What's 'Huh?'" Joan glowered at her with worried eyes.

"Nothing- you've just advanced to ten centimetres already." Annie quickly reassured her. Joan stared at her, mind blank.

"What does that mean?"

"It means, Joan, that your baby is ready to make an appearance. When you feel like pushing- push."


	3. Chapter 3

Joan screamed in pain, back arching before she slumped back panting against the mound of blankets, gasping in desperate breaths before the pain grew unbearable once again.

"You're doing great Joan." Annie encouraged. "Keep pushing."

"I can't." Joan protested weakly, hair plastered to her forehead.

"Yes, you can." Annie told her firmly. Joan opened her mouth to answer, but the words turned into a cry as her muscles clamped and seized.

"I can see the head! A few more pushes, Joan, and you can meet your baby." Annie smiled at her boss encouragingly, who sagged a little before she clenched her fists in the blankets and threw back her head, pushing with all her strength.

"That's it! The head's here…one more push, Joan. One more push and he or she will be here!" Annie urged. Joan cried out, struggling to keep breathing through the waves of pain crashing over her abused body.

"You can do this Joan." Annie grabbed one of the towels as she prepared to catch the newborn, and Joan screamed again, long and hard before she suddenly felt the pressure release her body. She fell back against the blankets, gasping. For a long moment she lay utterly still, struggling to breathe as relief flowed through her. Eventually, she lifted her head and looked down her body to see Annie carefully wrapping a small bundle of blankets tighter.

Joan felt her heartbeat speed up as silence reigned in the room, the only sound the storm still raging on outside. Babies were supposed to cry, weren't they? What did it mean if they weren't crying?

"Annie… is…?"Joan started, her voice panicked, but was promptly interrupted by a wail that pierced the room. Joan gasped with relief and shock, raising herself up to take the tiny baby that Annie quickly brought over.

"You have a daughter Joan." She whispered as she placed the bundle into Joan's waiting arms. Joan stared in wonder at her daughter as she continued to shriek, her little pink face bunched up adorably.

"Oh god, adorable? I've turned mushy already." She murmured with a smile. Annie chuckled.

"Not necessarily a bad thing. I can totally imagine you chewing out some foreign official with a baby on your hip. A baby who, may I add, i'm pretty sure doesn't have anything wrong with her lungs." Annie reached over to grab another blanket and handed it to Joan. "Here- babies are usually hungry at this point."

Joan smiled at her gratefully, arranging the blanket so she could feed the tiny baby as she'd practiced in her classes without flashing Annie. Although, she reflected, Annie had seen more by this point than anyone else so the modesty was a little redundant.

She relaxed back, unable to tear her eyes from her daughter. Enthralled, she watched as her tiny fingers waved in the air as she fed, catching her hand gently with her finger. Instantly, the fingers gripped tightly, causing a delighted laugh from Joan.

"Did you and Arthur decide on a name?" Annie asked as she brought some of the water over. She poured some onto her hands to clean them the best she could.

"No- we were tossing some around that we liked but we didn't decide on one. We thought we had another month left before we had to." Joan spoke softly, utterly enchanted by the miniature human that lay so close to her heart, suckling contently.

"When Chloe was born, Michael and Danielle decided on her name as they sat in the registry office waiting to register her birth." Annie remembered with a smirk. "I thought our parents were going to kill them when they found out- they got a half hour lecture on the importance of a name! Poor Danielle was going spare by the end of it."

Joan laughed softly. "The scary thing is I can see that happening with Arthur and me. Failing before we've even got started."

"Aw, I'm sure it won't." Annie held out a bottle to her. "Here- drink. An idiot could see how much you and Arthur dote on that baby already, Joan. That's more important than anything- if a kid knows that they're loved, then you haven't failed with anything."

Joan looked at her, startled. "When did you become so smart?"

"It just comes in flashes sometimes." Annie grinned. Joan met her smile with her own, staring back down at the baby on her chest after a moment.

"She's right you know sweetheart." She whispered, gently stroking a finger over the newborn's cheek. "You are already so loved."

* * *

"Auggie!" Barber swung through the doors into tech ops, almost crashing into Arthur. "Whoops, sorry sir."

"No matter- you found something?" Arthur demanded. Barber glanced at Auggie, who nodded.

"Yea- Annie didn't switch off the satnav on her car manually, she only switched off the engine. That means the satnav doesn't immediately shut off- it automatically saves all data first and then closes itself down in case he owner has just made a quick pit stop or something." Barber explained quickly, stumbling over his words in his race to get them out.

"Which means what?" Arthur asked impatiently.

"It means it saved their last location- they reached the property just after the storm would've hit the area."

"Barber, you're getting a raise." Auggie declared as he turned back to the computer hurriedly. Fingers flying, he checked the weather report for the hundredth time.

"The storms clearing over that area- by the time we've driven out there it should be safe." He confirmed. Arthur smiled in relief.

"What're we waiting for?" he questioned. Auggie grinned, grabbing his cane and the pair flew out of the DPD.


	4. Chapter 4

Joan lay on the mound of blankets that that Annie had found earlier, grateful that Lyra had left them behind when she'd cleared out the rest of the furniture. Her daughter lay cuddled in her arms while off to the side Annie was cleaning up the best she could.

"I think the storm's easing off." Annie commented idly, peering out the window.

"Thank god. I am so ready to get out of here. No offense intended." Joan shot an apologetic look at Annie, who smiled and shrugged as she held back a yawn.

"None taken." She assured her, depositing of the bloodied blankets in the corner and wiping her hands.

"What time is it?" asked Joan suddenly.

"Three AM. You were in labour for over twelve hours." Annie informed her. Joan blinked.

"I thought it was longer. I don't suppose you looked at what time she was born?" she asked tentatively. Annie grinned.

"1.02 AM. I have a feeling she's going to be a night owl." Joan groaned at this.

"Of course she is." She sighed, but smiled slightly as she dropped her head to place a kiss on her daughters'.

Suddenly, over the raging crash of the storm there was ghe sound of an engine outside, prompting she and Annie to both snap straight. Annie placed a finger on her lips as she scrambled over to her discarded bag and withdrew her gun from it, making her way to the front door and opening it a tiny crack. With a glance at Joan, she slipped out of it and shielded her eyes from rain with difficultly.

"Who's there?!" she shouted over the wind. For a spilt second, there was no answer until seemingly out of nowhere a figure appeared in front of her. She brought the gun up with a gasp, but it was knocked away and the man stepped closer.

"Annie?" Arthur flicked the water out of his eyes As he peered at her. Annie sagged slightly in relief, sparing a glare for the man.

"You scared the hell out of me! What're you doing here?" she yelled, jumping when Auggie appeared beside her. "Auggie!"

Auggie wrapped her in a hug, mindless of the fact the three of them were stood in the middle of a storm. Arthur interrupted them quickly.

"Annie, where's Joan?" he demanded. Annie's face lit up, and she grabbed his arm and led him inside, leading Auggie with her other arm.

"Look who I found outside!" she called to Joan as she entered the house again, pulling Auggie and Arthur behind her.

* * *

Joan had waited anxiously as Annie had shot her once last glance and then slipped out the door. Two hours after giving birth in less than brilliant conditions in the middle of the night meant she wasn't exactly up to protecting her new daughter if she had to, but she would damn well try.

The seconds ticked past as she strained to hear anything above the howling wind and drum of rain on the roof. She jolted as the door opened and Annie appeared, drenched but smiling brightly.

"Look who I found outside!" behind her, she tugged in… Auggie and Arthur?

"Arthur!" breathed Joan, smiling widely at her husband, who'd stopped dead in his tracks, staring at his wife holding their baby with a gaping mouth.

"I…Ho….What…?" he managed. Behind him, Annie was giggling hysterically at him while Auggie stood confused.

"Hey, what'd I miss? Annie?" the blind man inquired bemusedly. Annie shushed him, watching with a grin as Arthur slowly made his way across the room and dropped to his knees beside his wife and daughter.

"Hi honey." Smirked Joan.

"Hi." Breathed Arthur. "When exactly…?"

"Two hours ago. Annie was a godsend- she should add midwife to her CV." Joan shot a grateful smile to Annie.

"Midwife…? Joan, did you have your baby?" asked Auggie with a sense of realisation. Joan laughed gently.

"Yes Auggie. Arthur, we have a little girl." Joan grinned. Arthur smiled broadly.

"A girl…" he murmured. He held his arms out cautiously. "May I…?"

Joan carefully passed him the baby, snuggling into his side after. She dropped her head to his shoulder, eyes fluttering closed.

"I'm glad you're here." She mumbled as she drifted. Arthur looked down at her in concern.

"She's ok- she hasn't slept yet, which is a miracle in itself." Annie said softly, wrapping her arms around Auggie's waist. He hugged her back tightly, resting his chin on top of her head.

"How did you guys get here anyway?" asked Annie suddenly. "I mean, the storms still going strong."

"It's not actually that bad anymore." Arthur explained.

"So we can get out of here?" Annie asked eagerly, perking up at the thought. "Joan should probably go to the hospital."

"I though you said she's OK?" Arthur asked, alarmed.

"I think she is, but she did just give birth a month early in the middle of a dirty cottage. They should both probably get checked out." Annie explained gently. Arthur nodded, but made no move to move.

"Here, I'll carry the baby and you take Joan- she can sleep on the backseat and we'll make a makeshift car seat out of the blankets." Annie prompted him, kneeling down to take the tiny infant from his arms. He hesitated for a moment, but relented and carefully transferred her to Annie before tenderly scooping up Joan and following Auggie to the car.

"Arthur?" Joan stirred, eyes flickering as she began to wake.

"Ssh- it's ok. I've got you." Arthur murmured, glancing over his shoulder to see Annie wrapping more blankets around his new daughter before following him out into the rain, her body curved protectively over the baby's.

Finally, they were all settled into the car. Auggie sat in the passenger seat while Annie was driving. In the backseat, Arthur sat with one arm around a sleeping Joan, and the other cradling his newborn daughter.

"Everyone ok back there?" Annie checked. Arthur smiled.

"Yeah- we're just perfect."

* * *

"Knock knock." Auggie poked his head around the door to Joan's hospital room. "Room for two more?"

"Auggie, Annie, come on in." Joan smiled warmly at the pair as they came in.

"Hi guys." Annie greeted. Joan lay on the bad in Arthurs arms, their daughter cradled in hers. "Aw, you three are so cute."

"We're not cute Annie!" Joan and Arthur protested, amusement clouding the formers voice.

"So, do you have a name yet?" Auggie interrupted with a smirk.

"No." Joan sighed.

"I like Corinne." Arthur suggested.

"Corinne Campbell? We're not alliterating our child's name, Arthur."

"Hey! Nothing wrong with alliteration." Auggie told her with a smile as he reached out and pulled Annie onto his lap. Joan rolled her eyes slightly.

"What about Elise." Suggested Annie.

"Ooh, I like that." Joan mused. Arthur winced.

"What?" she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Ex-girlfriend." He explained. "How about Selene?"

"Nope- That's one of my agents." Joan vetoed.

"Olivia?" suggested Auggie. Joan wrinkled her nose slightly.

"Reminds me to much of a criminal we caught a few years ago." Arthur nodded in agreement.

"Amelia?" Annie submitted.

"Doesn't seem right." Joan frowned.

"Anna?"

"Lily?"

"Jessica?"

"Nevaeh?"

"Tara?"

"Sarah?"

"Kristy?"

"Jenny?"

This continued for almost an hour, but they found none that Arthur and Joan both liked and didn't remind them of somebody they'd caught.

"What's a name suitable for a baby born in the middle of a summer storm?" Annie contemplated aloud, leaning back against Auggie.

"Summer…" murmured Joan thoughtfully.

"Hmm?" Auggie asked.

"Summer." Joan began to smile widely, looking up at Arthur with a raised eyebrow. He smiled.

"Summer." He confirmed, stroking a hand over the baby's face. "Summer Anne Campbell."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Annie jerk slightly as he said the name aloud. Joan saw it too, because she smirked as she looked up at Annie.

"That's if you don't mind?" Joan checked. Annie gaped slightly, but shook her head silently, a smile beginning to form on her face. Auggie pressed a kiss to her head and she snuggled into him further.

"Summer Anne Campbell." Auggie repeated. "It's beautiful."


	5. Chapter 5

**_Sorry it's late, I got a bit caught up with other things, and then my the file got lost somewhere in cyberspace so I had to type it up again!_**

**_This one's for the guest reviewers who have been messaging faithfully for me to update! Here ya go! x_**

"Arthur! We're going to be late!" Joan called, slipping her feet into her shoes as she checked through her bag yet another time.

"Calm down honey, it's fine." Arthur descended the stairs carefully, carrying Summer in her car seat. Joan sucked in a deep breath.

"Sorry." She ran her hands over her dress to smooth it out and quickly checked her hair in the mirror.

"You look beautiful, Joan." Arthur assured her, kissing her gently. She smiled at him, looping her hand through his as she attempted to settle her nerves and a half hour later they walked into Langley, hands once again entwined.

Various people stopped to welcome Joan back and coo over Summer, causing the usual five minute walk up to the DPD to become a twenty-five minute one.

"Joan, Arthur!" Annie bounced over to them as they entered, Auggie attached to her arm.

"Hi Annie, Auggie. Where is everyone?" Joan looked around at the almost empty room.

"Meetings, missions and meals." Auggie answered cheerfully. "How are you Joan?"

"I'm good thank you. Four months at home will do that for you." She grinned.  
"Are you back as DCS now?" asked Annie. Joan and Arthur shared a mischievous glance.

"Not exactly…" Joan smiled. Auggie and Annie looked confused.

"Once we'd explained what had happened and gave details, the higher ups decided to reinstate me." Arthur explained.

"And since I'm already overt and can't go back, they simply expanded our position." Joan finished. The younger pair simply looked increasingly nonplussed.

"I don't understand." Auggie admitted.

"We're now the directors of clandestine services. Plural." Joan smiled at the shocked look on their faces.

"Oh my god! Congratulations!" Annie squealed. She gave Joan a quick hug, and then scooped up a squealing Summer who was reaching up to her happily.

"You're going to be great." Auggie laughed, hugging Joan tightly and shaking Arthur's hand.

"Thanks guys."

"Walker, Anderson! You're needed in conference three. Director Campbell, Sir, the director would like to see you in his office." A nameless agent called out from the doorway. The four exchanged an amused glance as Annie handed back Summer to Joan. Auggie smiled.

"Our work is never done." He sighed, looping his arm around Annie's as the pair headed off.

"Are you gonna stick around, or shall I call a cab when I'm finished?" Arthur asked Joan.

"I'm going to head home. I'll see you later." She reached up to peck him on the lips, giving him a wave as she walked away with Summer in her arms.

Back at home, Joan smiled gently at Summer as she lay her in her cot, clicking off the lights and grabbing the baby monitor as she left, closing the door behind her. Originally, she'd thought that staying at home for months on end would drive her crazy, but now she found she was in no hurry to go back to work.

A sprinkling of broken glass from downstairs caused her head to jerk up.

"Arthur?" She called hesitantly, descending the stairs slowly as she looked around the empty rooms. She reached the kitchen at the back of the house, and found the broken glass was from the back door window.

Heart pounding, she flew upstairs to Summer, fully prepared to grab her daughter and run to a neighbours.

"Good Morning Mrs Campbell."

Joan froze in horror as she caught sight of a man standing in her daughters bedroom, his hand stroking over the sleeping baby's head.

"Who are you?" Choked Joan, unable to tear her eyes from her daughter.

"Henry Wilcox sends his regards." The man said, leaning as if to take Summer from the cot.

"Don't you touch her!" Joan stepped forward, but stopped as she saw the flash of a knife in the mystery man's hand.

"Please..." She whispered, taking another step forward. The man smirked, before lifting the knife higher over the baby. Joan threw herself forward, hitting him in his midsection and causing them both to crash to the floor.

They rolled, wrestling for the knife while punches flew. Joan found herself on her back with the man straddling her, the knife descending downwards towards her, the blade glinting in the glow of the dim light that poured through the closed blinds. She blocked his arm with her own, grunting with the effort. To the side she could hear Summer crying, her screams piercing Joan's heart.

With renewed effort at the cries of her baby, she arched her back and flipped them both over, pinning the man beneath her and snatching the knife from his hand.

"Move, and I'll slit your throat." She threatened shakily. The man stilled under the coolness of the blade, and Joan relaxed slightly.

She didn't even see the second man as he swung his fist at her head, her vision black before she'd even hit the ground.

* * *

Joan groaned as she opened her eyes, her muscles protesting as she forced her body to roll over. She shot up straight as she remembered what had happened, crying out as pain shot through her.

"Summer?" She called, holding her side as she dragged herself to the crib. She used it to stand up, grasping the empty blankets as she choked back tears.

"Summer?" She stumbled from the nursery, checking her and Arthur's room before tripping her way down the stairs, moving from room to room as she searched for her daughter.

"Summer!" She let out a sob, reaching for her phone and speed dialling Arthur with trembling fingers. She sobbed again as she heard the voicemail tone and cut off the call, collapsing to the floor against the wall.

"Oh god. Oh god." She gasped, shuddering. She clenched her fists hard, digging her nails into her arms.

"Pull yourself together, Joan." She told herself, breathing deeply before dialling Annie.

"Annie Walker." The younger blonde's voice came through. Joan opened her mouth, but closed it again as tears threatened to fall.

"Hello?" There was a rustle that Joan guessed was Annie checking the caller ID. "Joan?"

"Annie..." Joan attempted, but her voice broke and she stopped.

"Joan? Joan, what's wrong?" Annie's voice rose.

"Annie... Summer..." Joan managed.

"Joan? Joan I'm on my way- I'm just going to grab Arthur and we'll be right there, ok? I'm gonna pass you to Auggie, but stay on the line." Joan nodded, not remembering that Annie couldn't see her but eternally thankful that the younger woman was so perceptive. She listened as Auggie rambled on about something or other, concentrating solely on the sound of his voice as she clutched the baby blanket to her.

She jumped violently as the door flung open to reveal Arthur.

"Joan!" Arthur dropped to his knees beside her, hands ghosting up and down her arms.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Whispered Joan. Behind Arthur, Annie and Auggie entered, the former with her mobile against her ear.

"It's ok. It's ok, it's not your fault." Arthur soothed her, pulling her into his arms to she lay partly in his lap.

"Yeah- thank you, agent Rossabi." Annie snapped her phone shut. "Agent Rossabi is on his way with a team."

"Thank you Annie." Arthur said tightly, Joan still in his arms. Annie crouched down beside them.

"Joan, what happened?" She asked gently. Arthur began to protest, but Annie silenced him with a pointed glare. With choked sobs, Joan explained what had happened, hands still clutching the yellow blanket. Annie placed a hand on her shoulder in support.

"We're going to find her Joan." She promised. Auggie was frowning.

"Henry Wilcox is in jail, on maximum security. How would he organise this?" He paced up and down, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"That must be Rossabi." Annie jumped up and answered the door, but paused when she found a bouquet of flowers in front of her instead.

"Um... Hi?" A delivery man peeked out from behind the bouquet.

"Delivery for Joan Campbell?" Annie glanced behind her.

"That's me." She confirmed, signing for the flowers and taking them. Arthur raised an eyebrow at her as she plucked the card out and read it. She paled slightly.

"Annie?" Joan raised her tear streaked face from her husbands shoulder as she saw Annie's stricken face. "What is it?"

Annie took a shaky breath as she handed the card over. Joan reached out to take it, letting out a sob as she read it.

"Guys?" Auggie asked. Joan read it aloud for him.

"Joan, I told you- a child for a child. I couldn't have Arthur's son, so I'll have your daughter instead. Henry." Arthur's arms tightened reflexively around her.

"Oh... Bloody hell." Auggie muttered. Annie was frowning at the the card, however, instincts firing.

"Does this seem... Strange, to anyone?" She asked slowly. The other three looked confused.

"What do you mean Annie?" Asked Arthur.

"Henry is clever- really clever, we know that. So why in the world would he send what is basically a signed confession to the kidnapping of a minor? It doesn't make any sense." Annie pointed out.

"She has a point." Auggie said, resting his hand on the small of her back.

"A child for a child..." Murmured Arthur thoughtfully.

"What is it?" Auggie questionned. Arthur shook his head.

"Nothing. But I think I need to pay Henry Wilcox a visit."

"Arthur, no!" Joan sat up straighter in alarm. Arthur cupped her face gently.

"I'll be fine, honey. Annie and Auggie will be right here, ad I'll be back before you know it." He kissed her forehead and got up in a smooth move, making his way to the door. He paused as he passed the younger pair.

"Look after her." He instructed. They both nodded.

"Of course." Murmured Annie. Arthur gave a nod, and strode out of the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Arthur cleared the security checkpoints at the prison in a haze, mind whirring with scenarios about Summer. Sitting at the metal table, he watched as Henry Wilcox was led in, hands and feet bound with chains, shuffling slowly across the floor with a sneer on his face.

"Arthur, how nice to see you. Isn't this a turn up?" Henry sat across from him.

"Henry. Where is she?" Arthur asked flatly, all of his training going out of the window.

"Who?" Enquired Henry.

"My daughter, Henry!" Arthur slammed his hands down onto the table. He took a deep breath, calming himself as the guard outside the door stirred and peeked in through the window. "Henry, she's just a baby. Please."

Henry chuckled, leaning back in his chair and stretching out his legs.

"Arthur Campbell, begging me. Tell me, Arthur, how exactly did you manage to lose your daughter?"

"You bastard." Arthur glared at him.

"Hmm, that does seem to be the general consensus around here." Henry agreed with a smirk. Arthur let out a frustrated sound, clenching his fists.

"Henry. My baby- if you want to get back at me then fine, do your worst but she's innocent. I know that neither of us have been for a very long time, but she is. Just like Jai was just a few years ago." Arthur swallowed his pride as he pleaded with the man he hated most.

"Don't bring my son into this." Henry snapped, leaning forwards. Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't. You did, the day you made him believe the only easy to earn your respect and love was to join the agency." Arthur told him. Henry's eyes flashed with anger.

"My son died because of your actions." He snarled.

"Your son died because he was trying to prove to everyone that he was not his father's son. That he wasn't going to follow in your footsteps." Arthur told him coolly. "And I respect him for it. But this isn't about Jai; it's about Summer."

They stared wordlessly at each other for a few minutes.

"Please Henry, she's four months old. Don't you remember Jai at that age? Please don't make her pay for the sins of her father." Arthur spoke softly. Henry regarded him thoughtfully, tipping his head to the side.

"I didn't take your daughter, Arthur." Arthur snorted at this.

"You signed the card, you idiot. The guy told us he was working for you. And you sit here and tell me you have nothing to do with it?"

"It's the truth. I told you all those months ago- a son for a son. Not a daughter. My interest is in Teo Braga, not Summer. I suggest you begin your search elsewhere, Arthur." Henry stood abruptly, knocking on the door. It opened immediately, and Henry stepped out. He paused, however, and turned back to Arthur, who hadn't moved.

"I do hope you find her, Arthur. Pretty little baby like that? Anything could happen. Give my regards to Joanie and miss Walker, won't you?" He smirked, and shuffled out.

Annie paced up and down the Campbell's front garden, terrified for the little girl she'd grown to love over the past four months.

'Where is Arthur?" She hissed, worriedly watching Joan out of the corner of her eye. To the side, Auggie ran his fingers over his watch.

"It's been four hours." He sighed. Annie spared a glance at Rossabi, who was interviewing a neighbour.

"He's eventually going to realise we're covering something up. He doesn't exactly like us." She muttered.

"Keep calm, pretend you know nothing. Our main priority is protect Joan. She's a wreck, the last thing she's thinking about is what's classified and what's not. That's where we come in." Auggie soothed.

"I know that." Annie snapped. She immediately sighed, running a hand through her hair and exhaling loudly. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Auggie assured her, reaching out and drawing her into his arms.

"I just hate seeing her like this. It's like she's a completely different person- she's usually so strong and now she's... not. She's all teary and vulnerable and..."

"Human?" Auggie suggested.

"Exactly!" Annie agreed, before she frowned again. "Something still isn't right about this." She mumbled. She looked up at the sound of a car to see Arthur drive in, mouth tightly pressed together. He walked past the cordon without stopping, silencing the protesting uniform with a glare.

"Where's Joan?" He asked the pair.

"Back of the ambulance. They're just stitching her up- she refused to go to hospital." Arthur nodding, signalling for them to follow him as he made his way to the back of the ambulance where Joan was sitting. The tears had dried up now, and she sat numbly as the paramedic stitched up a relatively small knife wound on her arm. Joan didn't know how she'd got it, and she didn't really care.

"Joan?" The blonde looked up at the sound of her husband, who immediately sat next to her and took her into his arms.

"I'm sorry Arthur." She whispered.

"For what, honey?" He asked, confused.

"I couldn't protect her. I couldn't protect our baby." She didn't look at him, gaze fixed sightlessly in front of her.

"Joan, look at me. Look at me." He raised her face so that their eyes met. "This is not your fault, ok? You were outnumbered, and overpowered and it is not your fault. Do you hear me?" He told her. Joan didn't reply, simply stared wordlessly. Annie, who'd been watching with Auggie off the side, stepped forward.

"Arthur, can you give us a minute?' She asked softly. He began to protest, but Annie shot him a pointed look.

'Rossabi wants to talk with you, and you need to figure out a reason why you went running off for four hours after your baby was stolen. Now shoo." She told him. He blinked, but did as she said.

"You just told your boss's boss, the DCS of the CIA to 'shoo'." Auggie said in awe and disbelief.

"I'll deal with it later. You too, tech nerd, off you go." Se waited until he was out of hearing range before she turned to Joan.

"Joan, listen to me. Joan." Annie reached and and grabbed her hands to get her attention. "Ok, listen. I can't imagine what you're going through right now, but you need to snap out of it. Summer needs you, and you are no good to her wallowing in self pity." Annie said firmly. "Something isn't right here, and we need to figure it out so we can get Summer back, but we're going to need your full attention too."

Joan's gaze flickered uncertainly.

"You are Joan Campbell." Annie glared at her. "Kick ass CIA agent, hard as nails boss, the first female DCS and one of the best operatives that's ever walked through Langley, so quit your pity party and get your head in game because you acting like some weepy kid instead of the hard ass I know you are and it's seriously not helping. Not to mention it's freaking me out."

Joan blinked. "You and I are going to have a serious conversation about the way you speak to superiors at some point in the future."

Annie smiled in relief as the Joan she knew shone through. The older woman stood up and made her way to where Arthur and Auggie were standing with Agent Rossabi, Annie trailing in her wake.

"What did Henry tell you?" Joan got straight got the point. Arthur blinked slightly in surprise, but answered.

"He claims he didn't do it. Said his only interest is in Teo, that he wanted a son for a son, not a daughter for a son." Auggie frowned.

"That was his excuse? It's pretty weak."

"Yes, but also true. That is what he said- he's never shown any interest towards Summer, it's always been directed towards Teo."

"It said Joan." Joan said suddenly. At their questionning looks, she elaborated. "Henry almost never calls me Joan, he calls me Joanie because he knows it annoys me. But the note said Joan. I hate to say it, but I think he's feeling the truth. I don't think he wrote it."

"Doesn't mean he didn't pull this off." Auggie pointed out.

"Yeah, but coupled with everything else it makes it less likely." Annie said, biting a nail worriedly.

"So... Who?" Auggie asked plaintively. There was silence from the other three.

"Arthur, Joan, is there anyone who would know who you are who would want to hurt you?" Annie asked. They both shook their heads,

"Not that I can think of." Joan said, wrapping her arms around herself. Arthur slipped an arm around her.

"There are people who dislike us, or who hold a grudge but none of them would kidnap a baby!" Arthur agreed.

"Who's been read in to your careers? Properly I mean- you're both overt, but who have you given details to?" Annie enquired. Joan and Arthur looked blank.

"Nobody." Joan answered with a stressed sigh.

"What about you, Arthur?" Annie raised an eyebrow at the distracted man, who hesitated. Joan looked at him in surprise, pulling out from under his arm.

"Arthur?"

"I'm just thinking... Brian Adams." Realisation flashed across Joan's face.

"Who is Brian Adams?" Auggie spoke up.

"He was an agent we both worked with and helped train. He turned rogue about six years ago during a solo mission." Arthur explained.

"So why would he hold a grudge against you?" Annie asked confused.

"He blamed us for the death of his wife. Katie was killed by a guy we'd been targeting in a bar here in DC. He got suspicious and followed us to Brian's house and then broke in and killed her the next day when Brian was at work. He never forgave us."

"You think he may have done this?" Auggie inquired.

"He was a good agent, a computer genius and pretty adept at holding a grudge. I just can't work out how he managed to get all of the inside information on Henry." Joan told them.

"Theoretically, it wouldn't be hard for him to hack in to the CIA if he's already been inside the system." Auggie said softly. Annie stared at him.

"That's possible?!" she exclaimed. Auggie nodded grimly.

"I'll call Barber; get him to run a search. We bringing Rossabi into this?" he asked. Joan and Arthur exchanged a glance.

"Might as well. The FBI does have good resources, and technically the agency can't work this." Arthur decided. He squeezed Joan's hand before going to find the man in question.

"Joan? Barber wants to know how much he tells everyone else?" Auggie called. Joan crossed to him, leaving Annie alone.

A sudden though occurred to her, and she quickly slid her phone from her pocket and dialed from memory.

"Yes?" the voice on the other end answered curtly.

"Teo? It's Annie."

"Annie. What do you want?" Teo asked irritably.

"A favour." Annie bit her lip.

"A favour? Why would I give you a favour?"

"Not me. For your sister." There was silence. "Teo?"

"What is it?"

"I need information on a man named Brian Adams. He's former CIA, now rogue."

"What does this have to do with Summer?"

"We think he kidnapped her." Annie told him after a split second hesitation. There was another silence.

"I'll call you when I have something." The phone clicked before she could say anything as Teo hung up. Annie seriously hoped she hadn't just made a huge mistake.


	7. Chapter 7

"Annie, Auggie." Joan greeted them wearily. It had been two days since Summer had gone missing, and she and Arthur were staying in Annie's sister's guesthouse as their own home was still a crime scene.

"Hi Joan." Annie guided Auggie in to sit on the sofa, before passing the file she held to Joan and Arthur, who had come out of the bathroom.

"This is all they have?" Joan asked when she saw the thinness of the file.

"Yeah. Brian Adams doesn't live on grid very much- he doesn't have a phone, the address on file is fake and he has no living family." Annie perched next to Auggie.

"So… you have nothing?" Arthur stated, fury flashing across his face. Annie winced a little, but held her ground.

"Yes… I'm sorry. We're trying."

"We know Annie. We appreciate it." Joan interrupted, placing a hand on Arthur's arm to calm him.

"We did find out that Adams spent several years living in Las Vegas, which lead us to believe he may have a gambling habit." Auggie interjected. Annie left him to explain that and the rest of their findings as her phone rang, and she stepped outside to take it.

"Annie Walker."

"Annie, it's Teo."

"Teo! I was beginning to think you'd forgotten us." Annie perched on the wall, casting a nervous glance towards the guesthouse as she heard raised voices from inside.

"You are somewhat unforgettable, Annie. However, I 'm calling because I believe I've found Brian Adams."

"What?! How? We haven't even been able to find where he was two years ago, let alone now!" Annie exclaimed, sitting up straight.

"It's probably best if you don't know the answer to 'how'." Teo said dryly. Annie paused.

"Ah. Ok… so what have you got?"

"It's probably easier if I show you in person."

"What?" Annie asked, confused. She heard a laugh.

"Look up." Annie did as he said, spotting the non-descript car parked a little way down the street. Inside sat Teo, who gave a wave when he saw her looking.

"Buenos Dias." He greeted sourly. Annie blinked a few times, before rolling her eyes.

"Gimme a minute." She told him, snapping the phone shut before he could protest.

"I gotta go, I'll see you all later!" she called through the open door of the guesthouse, scampering away before anyone could stop her. She climbed into her car, signalling for Teo to follow her and pulled away as fast as she could without drawing attention.

A few miles down the road she pulled into the car park of a shopping centre and slid into Teo's car once he'd pulled up alongside.

"So… this is a surprise." She stated, glancing sideways at him. He shrugged slightly.

"Whatever my father may have done is not my sister's fault." Annie smirked at that.

"Oh, admit it. You're just as in love with her as we all are." She grinned.

"I have never met her."

"Mmmhm. So where are we going?"

"You'll see." Teo said simply.

Eventually, they pulled into an abandoned warehouse district.

"The warehouse in front of us is leased under the name Arthur J. Campbell." Teo told her, gesturing to the grey building.

"You're joking? How did nobody notice that?" Annie made a mental note to tell Joan to review the systems in place designed to protect agents.

"I could not speak for your agency, but I did. I have been observing it, but have not seen anyone go in or out." Teo said mildly. Annie raised her eyebrows, studying the warehouse curiously.

"Guess that's where I come in. You coming?" she climbed out of the car, slipping her gun into her the back of her jeans and pulling her shirt down over it.

Silently, they crossed to the building. Annie motioned that she would go around back, leaving Teo to enter through the front. She climbed carefully over the fence, dropping to the other side with a small: "Oof."

Annie crept around the side of the large building, peeking around and running to the steel door when she saw there was nobody around.

"Bugger." She whispered when she found it locked. She slipped the picks out of her pocket and inserted them into the lock, quickly unlocking the door and swinging it open. She snuck thought the warehouse, gasping when she heard a noise from around a crate of boxes. She whirled around the corner, raising her gun, and coming face to face with Teo.

"Jesus!" She hissed, glaring at him.

"Sorry. There's something you need to see." Teo said, his tone unapologetic. Annie followed him to a small, separate office near the front of the building, the door open wide.

"Oh hell." She cursed, staring at the body lying facedown in a pool of blood. Carefully, she leant over and rolled the body onto his back, holding up a picture next to his face.

"Well damn." She said, exchanging a glance with Teo. "It's Brian Adams."

* * *

"And you happened to be at this warehouse how?" Rossabi raised an eyebrow at Annie, who sighed.

"I told you- I noticed the name on the lease, and came to investigate. I found the body when I entered."

"And you were alone?" he checked.

"Yes." Annie nodded.

"And how did you enter the building?" Annie blinked at the question.

"…Through the door." She said slowly. Rossabi narrowed his eyes in irritation.

"Yes, but was the door already open when you got here?"

"Yes, but it was pushed to, so that wasn't immediately apparent until I knocked on it." Annie lied, just in case a witness had seen it closed in the hours before she and Teo had arrived.

"Ok Miss Walker. Stay in town, yeah?" Rossabi strode away into the fast approaching darkness, leaving Annie to traipse back to where Teo had moved the car a few streets away.

"So what now?" he asked as she slid in.

"Now? Now I go tell Arthur and Joan that the only solid lead we had is on his way to the morgue." Annie stared straight ahead for a few seconds, before she let out a shriek of anger and punched the dashboard.

"Shit!"

"Annie?" Teo looked at her hesitantly, his normal cocky facade dimming.

"Just drive, Teo." Teo did as she said, driving straight to her sister's house where she got out without a word. Curiously, he followed, standing beside the open door. He heard Annie's soft voice, the words nothing more than a mumble from when he was standing, followed by a pained sob that he guessed was from the step-mother he'd never met and a string of curses from his father.

Guiltily, he peeked through the window. He could see a blonde on the couch, her head bent and curls obscuring her face while next to her was Auggie, who had his hand placed comfortingly on her back. His father stood bracing against the wall, head bent to hide his face while Annie stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, arms hugging herself. She looked up, and her teary eyes met his, causing him to blink and look away. He turned; resolve settling within him as he pictured the distraught mother who wasn't the monster he'd created in his head, but someone quite different.

And with that thought, he slipped away into the night.


	8. Chapter 8

Another week passed, and Teo didn't turn up again, much to Annie's chagrin. Annoyed, she threw herself into finding Summer, chasing down every possible lead, no matter how small. Despite not officially being allowed to work the case that hadn't stopped any free agents in the agency (and several who weren't) from doing exactly that, resulting in Annie and Auggie becoming the unofficial bosses and running the investigation while everyone danced around the higher ups who didn't know about it. Nobody had slept properly in days; most hadn't even gone home, choosing instead to shower in the gym and catch a few hours sleep wherever they could. Some bright rookie had gone out and bought clothes in all shapes and sizes, and simply left them in the canteen for anybody to grab and use. Annie hoped somebody had bought them a coffee.

Joan and Arthur weren't seen around the agency, having been banned from the building by their bosses. Heart broken and sick with worry, they holed up in the guesthouse and avoided everyone but Annie and Auggie, switching off everything but a burner phone that only the younger pair had the number to.

"I can't find a single connection between Brian Adams and Henry Wilcox." Auggie complained, stretching as he stood from his chair.

"Maybe he really was telling the truth." Annie pointed out from behind one of the many files she was currently reading. Behind them, Barber scoffed.

"Can we help you?" Auggie shot him a look that caused him to duck his head and become strangely engrossed in his screen.

"What about a connection to someone or something else that they both have?" Annie suggested suddenly, rubbing her head tiredly. Auggie swung around towards her.

"You mean like a third party?"

"Yeah." She confirmed.

"It's worth a shot." He turned back to his keyboard and began typing, while Annie went back to Brian Adams' files.

"Sunny side hospital... Where have I heard that before?" She asked after a few hours. Auggie slipped his headphones off.

"Hm?"

"Brian Adams stayed at Sunny side hospital. Does that sound familiar to you?"

"Doesn't ring a bell." He answered with a shake of his head. Annie frowned.

"I've heard it before." She insisted, jumping up and beginning to pace. She groaned slightly, dialing Joan and Arthur. When they didn't pick up, she made a decision, leaning over to Auggie and pecking his cheek. "I gotta go, I'll see you later."

She sped out of Langley and headed towards the hospital, surprised to find it surrounded by fencing and boarded up.

Spotting a gap in the fence, she wiggled through and wandered up to the dilapidated hospital, breaking through the rotten boards and climbing inside. Clicking on a torch, she searched through the corridors, finding no sign of life but instead, the building looked for all the world as if everyone had just upped and left. Filling cabinets, desks, chairs and even beds filled the empty rooms across the two floors, a thick layer of dust covering all and anything of value having been stolen by the local youths.

Spotting a filing cabinet in the office of the doctor mentioned in the file she already had, Annie quickly headed over and broke the lock on it, flicking through the files to find the one she wanted.

"Brian Adams." She smirked as her hand came to rest on it, opening it and scanning it as fast as she could. "Depression, suicidal... Fantasies of revenge; I'd already guessed that."

She closed the file to take it with her, but before she could shut the drawer another caught her eye.

"Lyra...?" She murmured, slipping the file from its place. She read it quickly.

"Oh shit!" She hissed, bolting from the hospital and scrambling into her car, heading for the guest house and dialling Auggie on the way.

"Annie?"

"I need everything you have on Lyra Matherson!" Annie demanded frantically.

"What? Annie, why?" Auggie asked confusedly.

"Because she and Brian Adams were in the same hospital, and I don't believe in coincidences." Annie weaved and swerved through traffic, knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel. "Crap. We assumed that it was just crossed wires them meant Lyra wasn't at that cottage when Joan and I arrived, but what if it wasn't? What if it was a set up? The storm caused trees to fall, so what if it blocked off the road he was waiting for us to arrive on?"

"Damn. Annie, Lyra and Adams have been in contact for months. Hundreds of phone calls since they were both released from the hospital."

"What was Lyra in there for?" Annie asked him.

"Counselling after her attack- she became depressed and suicidal." Auggie told her after a beat. Annie slapped the steering wheel.

"Same as Brian Adams. It was a bad coincidence. Both of them in the same mindset, both lost with to thing to live for. And both angry at Joan and Arthur Campbell." Annie realised, reading the file that lay open on the seat next to her as she waiting for the lights to change from red.

"Why would Lyra be angry at Joan?" Auggie questioned.

"Because Lyra was attacked while coming from a meeting she'd set up purely to gain information for the agency. She thought that if she'd never agreed to work for them, she's never been attacked. And she blamed Joan directly because she was the one who recruited her." Annie finished, pulling into the driveway and jumping it the car, grabbing her phone and switching it to loudspeaker as she did so.

"So we need to find Lyra as well?" Auggie scowled.

"Uh huh." Annie knocked on the door a few times before entering. "Joan? Arthur?"

Silence resounded from the empty room.

"Hello?" She shouted, panic beginning to trickle through her veins. They weren't supposed to leave the house without leaving a note or telling someone.

"Annie, what's wrong?" Asked Auggie from the other end of the phone.

"They're not here..."

"Signs of a struggle?" They sound of typing stopped.

"No- their phone's here too." Annie informed him, standing in the middle of the room, mind racing as she tried to decide how much to panic.

"Annie?" Annie gasped, whirling around at the sudden sound of the voice behind her.

"Joan! Don't do that!" Annie placed a hand on her chest, trying to calm her frantically beating heart as her boss looked at her quizzically.

"What's wrong?" she asked, lowering the shopping bags she was carrying to the floor.

"Lyra Matherson and Brian Adams were working together." Annie told her bluntly. On the other end of the phone, Auggie winced.

"Wha... Why? How?" Joan looked increasingly nonplussed and distraught.

"They were both committed to psychiatric hospital named Sunnyside when they were diagnosed as being suicidal. They met and remained in contact- there were hundreds of calls over the past few months."

"All the calls lasted at least half an hour- some up to four or five hours each." Auggie chimed in. Joan ran a hand through her hair.

"So... What now?" She asked helplessly.

"We try to find Lyra. Chances are she has Summer." Annie told her gently, knowing how little consolation that would be.

"Or my baby's already dead and at the bottom of the Potomic." Joan said flatly.

"Joan!" Arthur was in the doorway, frowning at his wife.

"What? We all know it's a distinct possibility and not saying it aloud isn't going to help, Arthur!"She snapped. She gathered up the discarded bags and disappeared into the kitchen of the main house, leaving Annie to explain to a nonplussed Arthur what had just happened.

Joan mechanically transferred the shopping from the bags to the cupboards, desperately willing her mind to blank.

"Joan?" Arthur spoke softly. Joan didn't turn, but stopped her actions, placing the tin she held onto the side as she fought back tears. Without a word, Arthur stepped forwards and slid his arms around her waist. To his surprise, she didn't pull away as she mostly had since Summer had been taken, but leant back into his embrace, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I'm scared." She admitted quietly. Arthur tightened his arms and pressed his lips against her head.

"I know. So am I." he told her truthfully, tears choking his voice. She let out a sob, pressing her hand to her mouth to try and stifle the following ones. Still in his arms, she turned and wound her arms around him, and they clung to each other, desperately trying to stop from sinking.

Annie watched them sadly through the open door. She knew that if they lost Summer they would never recover, that they would most likely get themselves killed on a mission they weren't supposed to be on somewhere in the future. Just as she knew that if they never found Summer, they would wait, hoping, unable to let go and move on but equally unable to stay still and remain in an unchanged state.

Annie turned and sat back in her car, taking her phone from her bag and dialing the number she'd been calling every few hours for the past few days. This time, however, she left a message.

"Teo, it's Annie. We think Summer is with a woman named Lyra Matherson. She was in contact with Brian Adams, and we think they planned this together. Most likely, one of them tried to go back on the deal they'd made and Lyra ended up killing Adams. We're searching for her now, but not having much luck as she's been missing for over a year. I'll call you if we get anything else." She ended the call, and leant back against her seat, sighing heavily.

"Damn." She whispered, closing her eyes for a brief minute. The adrenaline of her earlier find was beginning to wear off, and she was quickly approaching exhaustion.

Carefully, she drove back to Langley and headed up to the DPD, answering various questions and queries along the way.

"Hey Auggie." She murmured as she came up behind him. He quickly slipped his headphones off and spun around, reaching out for her. She went to him easily, landing in his lap.

"Hey." He whispered. They curled into each other the best they could, taking comfort in each others present.

"Are you ok?" Auggie asked softly. Annie shook her head slowly.

"I don't think so." She tucked her head between his and his shoulders as he linked their hands. "I… I knew they weren't infallible, Auggie. God knows, between Teo and Joan's addiction and the way their marriage started plus a whole host of other things, they've made enough mistakes. But now they're just so…"

"Broken?" he finished. She nodded.

"They're like these untouchable heroes around the agency, the husband and wife who run it. And now…"

"If they can be broken, so can everyone else." Auggie tightened his arm around her.

"Exactly. And I don't even want to think about Summer."

"It could be Lyra is looking after her." He reminded her.

"Or we could be looking for a body." Annie said softly. And suddenly the silence in the department was a lot louder.


	9. Chapter 9

Annie jolted awake to the sound of a ringing phone. She rolled, groping for it and promptly fell off the sofa she was sleeping on.

"Ouch." She muttered. Across the room on a second sofa, Auggie stirred and mumbled incoherently.

"Annie Walker." She answered it quietly, still on the floor, voice hoarse from sleep.

"It's Teo."

"It's three in the morning!" she hissed.

"I know. I've found Lyra Matherson." He told her. Annie sat up straight.

"What?! Where?" she asked, astonished at the contacts this man had.

"She uses a supermarket on channing street. I simply waited until she came in. I'm following her now." Teo told her calmly.

"What!?" Annie yelped. Auggie shifted again, and she froze until he'd settled down again when she scrambled to her feet, quickly slipping on a jumper over the t-shirt she was sleeping in and shoving her feet into her shoes. "You're following her now?!"

"That's what I just said!" Teo sounded slightly exasperated.

"Jesus Teo! Are you in your car?" Annie searched for her bag, fumbling in the dark as she balanced her phone to her ear.

"No, I'm on foot. She is in quite a hurry." Despite this, he didn't sound out of breath. Annie began to run out the door, but paused and crossed over to Auggie.

"Auggie. Auggie." She shook him gently.

"Wa'iz'i?" He muttered sleepily.

"I've got a lead on Lyra so I'm following it up. I'll call if I need you."

"Yeah..." Auggie began to open his eyes, but Annie quickly shushed him.

"It's ok, go back to sleep. No point in us both being up." She whispered, swiping a lock of hair off of us face and kissing his forehead lightly. He drifted off again, and she bolted from the room, running down the long corridors of the agency. The agents who worked overnight stared at her quizzically as she ran past, but she ignored them and simply headed to her car, speeding out of the gates as fast as she could.

"Teo? I'm five minutes south of you- where are you heading?" She asked as she sped through the empty streets.

"I'm not sure. She turned left, so we are on..."

"Cayard street." Annie guessed, spinning the wheel violently.

"Yes. Now she's turning right; I don't see a street sign." Annie pressed on the accelerator, the engine of her little car revving wildly.

"Another left turn…" Teo informed her. They stayed in silence for a few minutes, the only sound the rev of Annie's engine and Teo's breathing.

"Annie- she turned into an alley. We're headed towards the west, now." Teo spoke suddenly. Annie frowned.

"The west? Why would she be headed that way? It's not residential or a business zone..." She thought aloud.

"A hotel, maybe?' Teo suggested.

"There isn't one." Annie tapped her fingers against the wheel, agitated. "It's a warehouse and factory district, and a rundown one at that. The only thing there is-"

She broke off suddenly, a feeling of dread filling her.

"Is what? Annie?"

"Sunnyside hospital." She breathed. "Dammit! I was there just this morning. I should have seen something." Annie berated herself.

"You couldn't have known." Teo assured her. She scowled.

"You won't say that if Summer is dead." She pointed out tersely. He flinched slightly at that, but kept quiet.

"I'm half a block from the hospital- I'll walk the rest of the way." She told him as she slammed the car into park and hopped out, jogging the rest of the way.

"If the hospital is a large, sort of dreary looking building then we're just coming up to it now." Teo said. Annie made an affirmative sound, and hung up the phone.

She ran up to the darkened hospital just in time to see Lyra disappear inside, locking the door behind her.

"Teo?" she whispered softly, searching the darkness for him.

"Here." She jumped as he appeared beside her as if from nowhere. She shot him a withering look, but said nothing as they both slid through the gap in the fence and silently made their way into the hospital.

"I'm getting a strange sense of déjà vu." Teo murmured.

"Tell me about it."

Annie quickly picked the locks as they reached the door and they slipped through, tiptoeing around the hospital. They checked room after room, but to no avail.

"Where could she have gone?" Annie asked, frustrated. She flopped to the floor, leaning back against the wall and resting her head in her hands.

"Is there another way out of here?" enquired Teo, sitting gracefully beside her. Annie shook her head.

"No- the back entrance was locked, remember? And all of the fire exits were electronically operated, so you can't open them now." She sighed. She tipped her head back against the wall and closed her eyes.

"Is there a basement?" Teo suggested. Annie's eyes flew open.

"Probably! Most hospitals have one, especially the older ones. But… we didn't see any stairs leading downwards." Teo surged to his feet and offered her a hand.

"They'd be hidden- they wouldn't want the patients getting down there." He realised as he pulled her to her feet. They grinned at each other before darting off in search of the stairs. Minutes later, Teo heard Annie shout.

"Got them!" she called triumphantly. He flew to where her voice had come from and skidded to a stop in front of where she was holding back a curtain, a wide smile on her face.

"Ladies first." Teo offered, reaching out to hold back the curtain. Annie nodded in thanks, sliding her gun from her waistband and descended the stairs, closely followed by Teo.

It opened into a small, grey room with three possible doors. Annie raised an eyebrow at Teo, who chose the one marked 'storage'. They crept through, sweeping along the tall shelves and poking through the old boxes but found nothing. Retracing their steps, Annie chose this time, and they entered on marked 'boiler room'. This one was empty as well, with much of the piping and equipment already stolen. Together, they entered the third door, this one marked 'morgue'.

"Cheery." Muttered Annie with a grimace. They quickly cleared two storage rooms, and a cutting room that Annie shivered at. Suddenly, Teo grabbed her arm and jerked her to a stop. She opened her mouth to snap at him, but he shook his head and put his finger to his lips, pointing frantically. Annie followed the line of sight, and quickly saw the light that peeked through the gaps of the door at the end of the corridor they were in.

Simultaneously, Annie and Teo snuck down the corridor, guns at their sides. As they got closer, they could hear someone singing and the sound of a crying baby.

"Hush little child, don't you cry,

Sleep to the sound of this lullaby,

The forest is dark and the sea is deep,

But I'll protect you, it's time to sleep.

Your momma's gone, she went away,

But don't you cry, I'm here to to stay,

Your daddy, he left a long time ago,

But I'll protect you, I'll never go,

So sleep sweet child, don't you cry,

Just sleep to the sound of this lullaby."

Annie raised her eyebrows, her eyes meeting Teo's. 'Creepy' she mouthed. He nodded in agreement, motioning for her to go first. Annie carefully eased herself up to the door and peeked into the tiny window fitted onto it.

"It's Lyra, and she has Summer." Annie breathed into Teo's ear. He nodded.

"What do you want to do?" He asked, his voice almost imperceptible. Annie bit her lip.

"Wait until she puts Summer down. Then we go." She decided. Teo nodded, and watched carefully though the little window.

Half an hour later, however, Annie was beginning to regret her decision. Lyra had yet to let go of Summer for even a minute, and now it seemed she was settling down to sleep, Summer still in her arms.

Annie shot Teo an exasperated look, to which he mimed sneaking in when Lyra was sleeping. Annie nodded in agreement, and ten minutes late they put their sketchy plan into action. Carefully, Teo picked the lock on the door and released the catch, gingerly pushing it inwards. When it groaned slightly, they both froze but Lyra didn't stir and so Annie scurried in across the floor.

"Stop!" Teo hissed at her. She froze halfway across the room, glancing back at him quizzically. He pointed to a thin wire that ran along the outside of the room to the bed, vanishing under it. She raised her eyebrows, and spread her arms inquiringly.

'Bomb' he mouthed. Annie frowned, and shook her head briefly, pointing at Summer. Teo shrugged, and made another stop motion before disappearing from sight. Annie backtracked out the door in time to see him turn the corner at the end of the corridor, following the previously unnoticed wire's path.

The seconds ticked by as Annie watched Lyra and Summer sleep, until all of a sudden a loud crash echoed through the building, jolting Lyra and Summer- who started screaming- awake. Annie gasped and jerked back as Lyra immediately caught sight of the open door and bolted from the bed, clutching a wailing Summer to her.

"Who's there?" Lyra demanded. Annie cast a desperate look in the direction Teo had disappeared in, but with no sign of him she sighed and stepped out into the doorway.

"My name is Annie." She said softly. Lyra recoiled.

"Who are you? How did you find me?" she shouted over Summer's crying.

"That doesn't matter, Lyra. I need you to give me the baby." She stepped forwards slightly.

"No!" Shrieked Lyra.

"Lyra, please. Summer's probably hungry- she needs her mum to feed her." Annie persuaded. Lyra growled.

"I'm her mother!" She yelled. Annie paused at that, thinking rapidly.

"Lyra, that's not your baby. Her name is Summer Campbell, remember?"

"No." Stated Lyra. "Her name is Abby Matherson, and she's my baby. They don't deserve her."

"Who don't, Lyra?" Annie asked soothingly, taking another step forward. Lyra held a shrieking Summer tighter.

"The _Campbell's._" she aid mockingly. "They killed my baby, so I was going to kill theirs. But... That's when I realised!"

Annie blinked. "Realised what?" She enquired.

"They didn't kill Abby, they stole her! They were going to raise her as their own! But that doesn't matter now, does it Abs? Cause we're together, and they're not gonna take you again." She cooed. "No they're not!"

Annie sighed.

"Lyra, that's Summer, not Abby. I was there when she was born, Lyra, that's not Abby."

"Yes it is!" Lyra insisted shrilly. She pouted at her, narrowing her eyes.

"I don't like you." She told her, before pulling a gun from behind her and firing it straight at Annie.


	10. Chapter 10

Teo groaned as he opened his eyes, peering through the inky blackness that surrounded him. Beside him, he could hear somebody breathing shallowly, their breaths' laboured and ragged.

"Annie?" He asked softly, using his hands to feel across the floor until he encountered her body. Carefully, he feathered his hands over her, pausing only when they pressed on the warm, sticky area on her thigh.

She groaned as he touched it, carefully prodding the area around it to determine its size. With a curse, he ripped off his shirt and tied it around her leg as a makeshift bandage, pulling it as tight as he could without cutting off her circulation.

"Annie? Annie, can you hear me?" He asked loudly. She moaned again, which he took as confirmation.

"Come one, wake up! Summer needs you! Wake up!" He shouted at her, desperately trying to bring her back to consciousness. He felt her tense and gasp, and then her body shift as she struggled to sit up.

"Teo?"

"It's ok- you got shot."

"I got shot? How? And why is that ok?" Annie sounded baffled.

"I don't know how, but it's not life threatening. Well, it is but not at the moment." He assured her, much too cheerily for her liking.

"Oh." She thought about what he'd said for a minute. "Why are you here, then?"

"I fell." He said simply.

"You fell? From what?" Annie sounded increasingly nonplussed.

"The floor."

"You fell on the floor?"

"No, I fell from the floor." Annie pondered that for a few minutes while he searched around the room for a way out.

"Teo?" She asked.

"Hm?"

"How did you fall from the floor?" He sighed at her persistence.

"I fell though it. I was upstairs." He explained.

"Oh."

He rolled his eyes at the young agent's behaviour, before a sudden thought occurred to him, and he made his way back over to her, kneeling in front of where she sat.

"Annie? I need you to tell me, does your head hurt?"

"A little." She admitted.

'Where?" He reached out and felt around where she guided his hand to, feeling the large lump and the blood caking the hair around it.

"Ah." He murmured.

"Teo?" Annie asked timidly.

"What is it, _chica_?"

"I don't feel so good." She whispered. Teo froze.

"_Madre de dios._" he muttered. "You're going to be fine, Annie. Just sit tight."

He jumped up and carried on searching for a way out of the tiny room they were in. By now, he'd figured out they were in the boiler room they'd searched earlier and he walked to where he thought the door was, testing the handle. Unsurprisingly, it was locked.

Bracing himself, he threw himself against the door, again and again until finally it splintered. One more thrust, and the door broke.

"C'mon Annie." He ordered, peering at her through the dim light from the hall. She stood unsteadily, using the wall to prop herself up before she stepped towards him, wavering slightly on her damaged leg. Teo led the way, Annie staggering behind him.

"Teo…" she began, leaning against the wall. But before he could answer they heard a screech from behind them, and turned to find Lyra standing there, a murderous look on her face.

"How did you get out!?" She demanded. Teo stepped in front of Annie, realising she wasn't going to be much help in her condition.

"Lyra..." He started soothingly but the woman flew at him angrily, scratching and clawing at him. Easily, he twisted her arms behind her back and pressed her onto the floor, subduing her as she writhed and twisted.

"Really, stop!" He told her, but she simply screamed incoherently at him and continued to struggle. He sighed, looking around for something to tie her up with, but was saved the trouble when Annie stepped forward and simply hit her around the head with a bit of wood she'd picked up form the floor.

"She was annoying me." She explained when Teo glanced at her questioningly. Then she started as another thought occurred to her. "And she shot me!"

Teo chuckled slightly, but sobered abruptly.

"Where's Summer?" He asked. Annie looked horrified,

"Oh crap." She cussed. Teo opened his mouth, but closed it again when he noticed that she wasn't looking at him.

"Annie...?" He began, but she bent awkwardly and picked up a small remote after some scrabbling.

"Teo... What did you find when you followed the wires?" She asked.

"I didn't... I fell through before I reached the end. Why?" Annie showed him the tiny device in her hand.

"Because I think this is to a bomb. And it's on a dead man's switch."

Teo blinked at her as he processed her words, paling slightly.

"It must be on a timer as well, or we'd already be dead. Go. Start making your way out, and for gods sake call Auggie for help." He instructed.

"I don't have my phone, and where are you going? And what about her?" Annie called after him, gesturing to Lyra as he began to jog away.

"Summer! And leave her for Christ sakes. She shot you!" He answered, speeding up and disappearing down the corridor. Annie turned and began to limp towards the stairs they'd entered from, hissing in pain when she had to put weight on her injured leg. With difficulty, she clambered up them, holding tightly to the rotten railing to help her.

She heard the wood creaking, but ignored it, concentrating solely on reaching the top. She let out a small shriek as the stair she placed her foot on gave way and splintered, lurching her forward.

"Shit." She whispered, trying to calm her racing heart. She set off again, hopping over that step and making her way up the rest of the staircase, carefully checking each stair before putting all of her weight on it. Finally, she reached the top step and with a sigh of relief stepped onto it without checking first, screaming just once as she fell through the floor into the darkness below.

* * *

Teo, meanwhile, was searching frantically through the rooms for Summer, painfully aware that any second could be his last. Room after room, but there was no sign of his sister.

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally, he heard a crying baby in the distance and bolted towards the sound, flying through the doorway of a room near where they'd found Lyra to spot a wailing Summer nestled in a pile of blankets, her face screwed up and fists waving in the air.

"Hello Summer." He murmured, gently scooping her up. "I'm Teo. I'm your brother, although we haven't met before. Would you like to see your _Mama_ and _Papa_ again? I bet you would- we'll go see them now, _si_?"

As he spoke, Summer stopped crying, staring up at him curiously as he began to jog back towards the stairs, bounding up them quickly and dodging the bits that looked rotten.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he emerged outside, a quietened Summer nestled in his arms. He looked around for the telltale flash of blonde hair, but didn't see it. With a frown, he walked further, searching for Annie in case she'd fallen.

"Annie?" he called out, scanning the ground for her. "Annie?!"

There was no answer, and Summer began to fuss unhappily. His heart pounded, and his stomach twisted uncomfortably.

"Annie!" He shouted.

He turned back towards the building, but before he could even take a step, a massive bang ripped through the air. The building exploded in waves of fire and noise. Instinctively, Teo threw himself to the ground and covered Summer with his body while fiery debris rained down around them.

Teo raised his head cautiously, peeking around at the ruined landscape. He turned so that he was sitting with a screaming Summer on his lap, staring at the building in horror. He soothed the baby the best he could till she fell silent again, at which point he quickly stripped over the t-shirt he had on and wrapped her in it, before nestling her between two large slabs of concrete that had fallen nearby.

"I will be back soon, _hermana_. I have to go find Annie though- she has a talent for getting herself into trouble." He told her, before running back into the burning building.

He climbed through the ruins, heading to where he guessed Annie had fallen. The smoke filled his lungs and choked him but he continued stubbornly, eventually reaching the area where the stairs had been.

"Annie!?" He coughed. He swung himself down onto the floor below, clinging to the edge of the hole by his fingertips before letting himself drop.

He rolled as he hit the ground, wincing slightly at the impact on his bruised body.

"Annie?" He asked again. The smoke was inner down here, although the destruction was just as bad. He made his way through the rubble, searching frantically and calling out the the blonde.

Eventually, he caught sight of a single leg peeking out from behind a large block of concrete. He jumped over a beam that lay in front of him and fell to his knees next to an unconscious Annie, checking her over carefully for any more injuries. When he found none, he slid an arm under her knees and the other behind her shoulders and swung her into his arms, picking his way across the uneven ground. She stirred, her eyes flickering open.

"Teo..." She rasped. He winked at her.

"Annie." He came to where he'd dropped through the floor, and looked at the woman in his arms.

"Can you pull me up if I boost you?" He asked her. She nodded uncertainly.

"I think so." He lowered her to her feet and cupped his hands so that she could place her good leg in them. With a grunt, he hoisted her up so that she could grasp the edge and haul herself up, before she turned and extended her arm. He backed up a few steps, and took a running leap towards the hole, grasping the edge with one hand and Annie's arm with the other. With difficulty, the hauled him over the edge together before scrambling to their feet and heading back down the corridor, dodging burning beams and coughing thickly. Hands joined, they ran from the building, gasping in breaths of cleaner air.

Annie collapsed to the ground, hands pressed to her injured leg as she panted, her face twisted in pain.

"Are you ok?" Teo asked, crouched beside her. She nodded breathlessly.

"Summer?" She managed. Teo jogged to where he'd left the baby- who surprisingly hadn't started crying again- and scooped her into his arms before heading back to Annie. She smiled as she caught sight of her and manoeuvred herself so that she could sit against a nearby block, patting the ground to indicate that Teo should follow her example. He did, slipping an arm around her so she could lean against him.

"We did it." He grinned weakly, happily watching the baby cradled in one arm and the woman in his other one.

"Yes we did."Annie smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

Ten minutes later, and the distant sound of wailing sirens caused Annie to lift her head up hopefully.

"Here come the cavalry." She almost sang, which sent her into a fit of coughing. Teo shot her a concerned look, but forced a smile.

"It would seem so." He agreed, throat scratchy. Before the sirens got closer, however, there was the sound of another car driving up and stopping a little way away, causing Teo to tense alertly.

"For gods sake Auggie, just stay in the car!" They heard an irritated voice snap. Annie grinned at Teo.

"Arthur." She coughed slightly.

"Calm down, Arthur. Auggie, I'm having trouble walking on this ground and I can see, so just stay where you are, ok?" Joan's voice drifted towards them. There was a mumbled reply, and then the sound of crunching footsteps.

"Joan?" Annie called out, her voice cracking as she tried to shout. It broke and she cut off, wincing, but Joan heard her anyway. Teo shot a concerned look in Annie's direction.

"Annie?!" footsteps crunched as Joan jogged in their direction, picking her way through the rubble and closely followed by Arthur. They appeared around the corner of the slab, Arthur holding Joan's hand to keep her steady. They both paused when they saw Annie and Teo sitting there, Joan dropping Arthur's hand in surprise as she stared at them, while he was gazing open mouthed at Teo.

"Teo?" he asked. Joan looked from one man to the other uncertainly, before her gaze became fixed on Summer, who was still sleeping in Teo's arms. Teo untangled himself from Annie and stood gracefully, holding the baby out to Joan.

"I think she belongs to you." He told her with a smile. Joan glanced from his face to Summer's in quick succession, breathing rapidly as she slowly held out her arms and gently took her. She shuddered slightly as she cradled Summer to her, closing her eyes briefly as she inhaled her scent.

"Thank you. Both of you. So much." She told Annie and Teo seriously, tears choking her as Arthur stood silently, eyes torn between both his children.

"Thank Annie. She is the one who called me and told me what and who to look for."

"Yea for me." Annie said dryly from her spot on the floor. "I'm still not entirely sure I want to know where you get your information from."

"Probably not." Teo agreed, pulling her up to her feet and steadying her when her injured leg gave out.

"What happened?" Joan asked, alarmed, stepping forward.

"Lyra happened." Annie winced, hopping slightly. "Stupid blonde."

Arthur and Joan both raised a pointed eyebrow at that, but Teo just shrugged in reply to their inquisitive looks. Annie was watching the building, which was still burning with a frown.

"Who invented the colour grey for hospitals?" she wondered. "It's so dreary."

Joan and Arthur looked at Teo, concerned, so he mouthed that she had concussion. They both frowned.

"Hello!? Joan, Arthur?" Auggie called, tentatively probing the ground in front of him with his cane.

"Sorry Auggie. Annie's fine, she's right here" Joan shouted back guiltily. Arthur pressed a kiss to Summer's forehead before crossing to Annie's side and helping Teo take her weight so the four of them could cross back to where a concerned Auggie waited.

"Auggie!" Annie cried happily. Auggie looked relieved.

"Annie. Are you ok?" he asked, reaching out and catching her as she fell into his arms.

"No. she shot me, Auggie!" Annie told him indignantly. Auggie looked panicked.

"Where?" he skimmed his hands over her as if searching for the wound.

"Her thigh. I wrapped my shirt around it but she needs to go to hospital." Teo informed him. Auggie turned his head towards him.

"Teo? What're you doing here?"

"Annie called me." Teo explained again. Auggie frowned.

"And you didn't tell me?" He asked, his tone hurt. Annie mumbled into his neck.

"Annie...?"

"She has concussion. She drifts in and out of coherency." Teo supplied, raising his head as he heard the sirens approaching closer. "Sounds like they should be here soon."

"Teo, you're still a fugitive. You should probably disappear." Auggie told him. Teo made a sound of agreement, beginning to walk away.

"Teo, wait!" Joan called. She passed Summer to Arthur and quickly scribbled on a piece of paper, holding it out to him. "That's our address- please come for dinner tomorrow."

Teo hesitated, glancing uncertainly between all four of them.

"Please come Teo." Arthur said softly. Annie shot him a pleading look, and he relented.

"Ok." A squad car drew up, sirens blaring and Teo took off with a final nod, disappearing into the morning.

"Auggie?" Annie whispered as more of the emergency services arrived.

"Yeah?"

"You'll catch me if I fall, right?" Annie asked him. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Every time." He promised. She smiled.

"Good." She said as her knees buckled and she fell unconscious. As promised, he caught her and lifted her into his arms, not letting go until the paramedics pulled her onto a stretcher.

* * *

The next evening Teo arrived apprehensively at the address Joan had given him. He knocked sharply, waiting until it was opened by his father.

"Teo." Arthur smiled. Teo nodded at him in greeting, carefully schooling his expression into one of indifference. Arthur seemed to understand as he invited him in, pointing him in the direction of the living room.

"Teo!" Annie beamed as she looked up and saw him standing hesitantly by the entrance.

"_Buenas dias _everyone." He greeted. Auggie shot him a smile while Joan stood from her spot on the floor, Summer in her arms.

"Teo. I wasn't sure you'd come." She smiled warmly. Teo shrugged slightly.

"Neither was I. How is Summer?"

"She's fine." Joan stroked a finger down her cheek. "A little cranky, perhaps, but otherwise fine."

"I was wondering... how did you find us yesterday? Lyra took our phones." Teo asked suddenly. Auggie grinned.

"Oh, please. Missing Annie and unexplained exploding building? Obviously connected."

"Hey!" Annie protested, smiling widely. Joan chuckled at them, until Arthur called for her from the kitchen, causing the woman to sigh slightly.

"Men." She pushed Summer into a surprised Teo's arms and left the room. Teo stood awkwardly, bouncing Summer gently on his hip.

"She's not a bomb Teo, you don't have to look so scared." Annie told him wryly. Auggie's resulting wince didn't go unnoticed by her. "Too soon?"

"How is your leg Annie?" Teo changed the subject quickly, sitting across from the pair as he spoke.

"It's fine. They stitched me up and gave me antibiotics... I think they were more concerned about the concussion.' she laughed. "They kept me in all night!"

"Probably because you were mostly incoherent and babbling about government secrets." Auggie pointed out. Annie gasped.

"I was not!" She leaned over and thumped him on the arm.

"Ow! Not nice, Annie!" He protested, rubbing the spot with a dramatic wounded expression. "Teo, tell her to be nice to the blind guy."

"Annie, be nice to the blind guy." Teo intoned.

"You're lucky you're holding the baby.' Annie told him.

Joan watched them from the doorway, a small smile on her face. She pushed away from the frame and went back to Arthur.

"You ever wonder how we seem to have ended up with four kids instead of just the one?" He gave a laugh at that, wrapping an arm around her.

"It's your fault. Such a bleeding heart." He teased. She poked him in the side, giggling at his incredulous expression.

"Seriously? How old are you?" she smiled slyly, and poked him again. He blinked, and them smirked.

"Oh, that's it." He lunged at Joan, who yelped and bolted back into the other room.

"Arthur..." She warned, backing away from him as the three in there laughed. Arthur payed her no attention, ducking under her outstretched arms and digging his fingers into her sides. She shrieked with laughter, knees buckling almost instantly.

"Arthur stop!" She demanded through laughs. He ignored her, continuing to dig his fingers in.

"Do you surrender?" He asked, laughing himself.

"Never!" She rolled, pinning him under her and poking him again. He responded by bringing his knees up and pushing her so she fell sideways onto the floor. He reached towards again but she scrambled up and pulled Auggie to his feet, hiding behind him and still laughing breathlessly.

"Hiding behind the blind guy? Really Joan? No offence Anderson."

"None taken." Auggie assured him amusedly. Joan peeked out from behind him just as the doorbell rang.

"Saved by the pizza guy." Arthur went to answer it as Joan fetched the plates from the kitchen. Her mind wandered to the conversation she and Arthur had had out here earlier while he was trying to find the number for the pizza place.

_"He hates me."_

_"No he doesn't Arthur." Joan stopped digging through the drawer to look at him. He shook his head._

_"He does. And he has every right to."_

_"Arthur, he's human. He's in a strange country, with mostly strange people around him. He's a fugitive any law enforcement officer would give their right arm to arrest. He has a family he's never met before and a father who has no more idea on how to act than he himself does. Give it time, honey. It's not going to happen overnight."_

_"It should have to happen at all. I should have fought harder to gain custody all those years ago." Joan sighed, standing from her crouched position and coming over to where he sat with his head in his hands. She knelt beside him and took his hands in hers._

_"Tell him that, Arthur. He needs to hear it more than I do." She told him gently. He looked up at her, and attempted a smile._

_"How did I ever manage to marry you?"_

_"With blackmail while lying in a hospital bed if I remember correctly." She stood and kissed him softly, before going to check on the three in other room as she heard laughter._

"Joan?" Joan blinked as she heard her name called, turning to see Annie on crutches standing in the doorway, a concerned look on her face.

"Sorry, what?" Joan smiled.

"Are you ok?" Annie came further into the room.

"Yeah, I was just lost in thought. What was it you wanted?"

"Summer's hungry, and I asked if you needed any help." Annie answered, eyeing her with worry.

"Er... Nothing you can do with no arms available. Could you send Teo in though?" Joan asked, which received a nod.

Joan turned and grabbed the plates from the cupboard, along with cutlery from the drawer.

"Annie said you needed me?" Teo hovered in the doorway. Joan smiled.

"Could you reach and grab the glasses from the top shelf? Arthur thinks it's funny to put them where I can't reach them." Teo complied while she warmed a bottle for Summer.

"Food's ready." Arthur poked his head in, groaning when he saw Teo had gotten the glasses for Joan.

"Teo! It's more fun when Joan has to climb to get them." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively as Joan rolled her eyes.

"Pervert."

"Yuck. She's my step-mother!" Teo protested as they entered the living room.

"That sounded really teenager-ish!. Annie laughed. Teo sat cross legged on the floor next to her, taking Summer when she reached out to him from Auggie's lap. Arthur sat across from him, smiling fondly as he watched his son make faces at his sister, laughing at the banter Annie had going with the other two men. Joan watched them with a faint smile, leaning back against the sofa behind her. Her eyes met Annie's briefly, and the younger woman grinned happily at her before being distracted by a babbling Summer.

Joan watched her family chatter and laugh together and for the first time in weeks, she breathed.


End file.
